02/14/2008 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR12 | |
| HB293 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 364 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 269 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HCR 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 293 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 14, 2008
8:11 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Bob Lynn, Chair
Representative Bob Roses, Vice Chair
Representative John Coghill
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Andrea Doll
Representative Max Gruenberg
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Kyle Johansen
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12
Proposing an amendment to the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State
Legislature relating to abstention from voting.
- HEARD AND HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 293
"An Act relating to the location of the convening of the
legislature in session and to the relocation of functions of
state government; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED HB 293 OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 364
"An Act relating to notice and consent for a minor's abortion;
relating to penalties for performing an abortion; relating to a
judicial bypass procedure for an abortion; relating to coercion
of a minor to have an abortion; relating to reporting of
abortions performed on minors; amending Rule 24(a), Alaska Rules
of Civil Procedure, amending Rule 220, Alaska Rules of Appellate
Procedure, and Rule 20, Alaska Probate Rules, relating to
judicial bypass for an abortion; and providing for an effective
date."
- REMOVED ITEM FROM AGENDA
HOUSE BILL NO. 269
"An Act requiring the state to procure United States and Alaska
flags manufactured in the United States; and requiring state
buildings and schools to display only United States and Alaska
flags manufactured in the United States."
- BILL HEARING POSTPONED TO 2/28/08
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HCR 12
SHORT TITLE: AMEND UNIFORM RULES: ABSTAIN FROM VOTING
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MEYER
01/15/08 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/15/08 (H) STA, JUD
01/31/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
01/31/08 (H) Heard & Held
01/31/08 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/14/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HB 293
SHORT TITLE: LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE IN ANCHORAGE
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MEYER, LYNN, NEUMAN, STOLTZE
01/04/08 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/4/08
01/15/08 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/15/08 (H) STA, FIN
01/24/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
01/24/08 (H) <Bill Hearing Postponed>
01/29/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
01/29/08 (H) Heard & Held
01/29/08 (H) MINUTE(STA)
02/14/08 (H) STA AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff
Representative Kevin Meyer
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Reviewed HCR 12 on behalf of Representative
Meyer, prime sponsor; highlighted aspects of HB 293 on behalf of
Representative Meyer, prime sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR BOB LYNN called the House State Affairs Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:11:15 AM. Representatives Roses, Coghill,
Johnson, Gruenberg, Doll, and Lynn were present at the call to
order.
HCR 12-AMEND UNIFORM RULES: ABSTAIN FROM VOTING
[Contains mention of HCR 16, HCR 18, HCR 19, HB 309, SCR 12, and
SB 203.]
8:11:45 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 12, Proposing an amendment to the
Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature relating to
abstention from voting.
8:13:05 AM
MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff, Representative Kevin Meyer, reviewed HCR
12 on behalf of Representative Meyer, prime sponsor. He said
the proposed legislation would "govern the procedure through
which a member can abstain from a vote." He modeled the
procedure after the one followed by the Anchorage Assembly, in
which the majority votes on whether or not a member who has
declared a conflict should be allowed to abstain from voting.
He said the legislation attempts to create a balance between
protecting a legislator who has a conflict of interest with
upholding the rights of that legislator's constituents to be
represented.
8:14:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES noted that there are other similar pieces
of legislation and that the chair had mentioned to him that he
may form a subcommittee to consolidate the various bills into
one.
8:16:51 AM
CHAIR LYNN confirmed that there are six pieces of legislation,
including HCR 12. He appointed Representatives Gruenberg,
Roses, and Johnson to the subcommittee.
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES said although he would be happy to serve,
he would like to give the chance to Representative Johansen.
CHAIR LYNN replaced Representative Roses' name with
Representative Johansen's. He assigned Representative Johansen
as chair and Representative Johnson as vice chair. He asked
that the subcommittee work expeditiously.
8:19:29 AM
CHAIR LYNN specified that he wished the subcommittee to consider
HCR 12 alongside: HCR 16, HCR 18, HCR 19, HB 309, SCR 12, and
SB 203.
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL suggested that all the sponsors of the
aforementioned bills be contacted.
8:20:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he spoke with Tamara Cook, the
director of Legislative Legal Services, about these issues and
would like her included in the discussion.
8:21:07 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that HCR 12 was heard and held.
HB 293-LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS TO BE IN ANCHORAGE
8:21:42 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was HOUSE
BILL NO. 293, "An Act relating to the location of the convening
of the legislature in session and to the relocation of functions
of state government; and providing for an effective date."
8:22:15 AM
MIKE PAWLOWSKI, Staff, Representative Kevin Meyer, Alaska State
Legislature, highlighted aspects of HB 293 on behalf of
Representative Meyer, prime sponsor. He stated that "the real
meat and substance of the bill" is in Section 3, where HB 293
proposes that the legislature "shall convene in the Municipality
of Anchorage at a location designated by the Alaska Legislative
Council". He noted that all references to the capital need to
be "changed appropriately." He directed attention to page 11,
Section 17, which proposes that the effective date of the bill
be January 1, 2010. Section 16, he noted, proposes a repeal of
AS 44.06.050-060, which he said is the language of the Fiscally
Responsible Alaskans Needing Knowledge (FRANK) Initiative [of
1994]. Mr. Pawlowski said the repeal of the initiative assumes
that over the next two years "there will be a thorough public
process with the legislature" as it works through Legislative
Council and open committee meetings to decide where to work and
in which facilities. Mr. Pawlowski remarked that Sections 10
and 11, regarding AS 24.50.010 and AS 24.50.040, respectively,
relate to the legislature's ability to host students and the
requirement of each legislative guest to write an essay.
8:25:09 AM
CHAIR LYNN said there is a handout in the committee packet
showing the results of a poll related to the bill.
8:25:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DOLL said she finds it interesting that with the
current interest shown by the public in transparency of
government, the proposed bill is being introduced with a repeal
of the FRANK Initiative of 1994, AS 44.06, which guarantees the
public's right to know the cost related to a capital move. She
remarked that at the last hearing on HB 293, there were many
people who testified in opposition to the bill. She said she
also finds it interesting that no one called in from Anchorage
to support the bill. She characterized HB 293 as a bad bill
that is being introduced during a shortened, 90-day session,
when everyone is working on more important issues. She stated
her opposition to HB 293.
8:27:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he does not think the committee
needs to amend statutes to be able to convene the legislature
outside of Juneau for a special session.
8:29:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES moved to report HB 293 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
notes.
REPRESENTATIVE DOLL objected.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Coghill, Johnson,
Roses, and Lynn voted in favor of moving HB 293 out of
committee. Representatives Gruenberg and Doll voted against it.
Therefore, HB 293 was reported out of the House State Affairs
Standing Committee by a vote of 4-2.
The committee took an at-ease from 8:29:52 AM to 8:31:38 AM.
8:31:41 AM
CHAIR LYNN read the recommendation of each member.
8:32:11 AM
[Following was discussion of the provision in HB 293 to repeal
the FRANK Initiative.]
8:35:07 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced the upcoming committee calendar.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
8:36:02 AM.
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